We were so lucky to have the opportunity to interview Michelle Robbins YogaBear.org last week. She is the founder of Yoga Healing Project; a program that develops yoga programs in hospitals in the US to help cancer patients. Here she discusses the benefits of yoga and the importance of involving restorative yoga in patients' lives.
For more information on Yoga Healing touch Michelle Project Michelle.Robbins@yogabear.org. Follow Mesothelioma Center on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and information about complementary treatments for cancer patients
Transcript :. Yoga for cancer patient
Rachel Gilner: We thank Michelle Robbins Site YogaBear.org. She is here with us today to talk a little about the program she founded: Bill Yoga Healing. Hi, Michelle. Can you tell us a little about the healing yoga project and why you started
Michelle Robbins: The healing yoga project is quite simple. It is bringing yoga to people who need it most in the cancer society. Survivors are important, but what about those who receive treatment? Those who can do it outside these cancer facilities to go to the public? So we decided to give yoga classes directly to the cancer center at their convenience. The reason I started was because I moved to New York in 06 to help take care of my aunt who was dying of cancer, and she was really into yoga and wanted to participate in yoga at the hospital, it was to deal with. But they were charging $ 25 per class, and I just thought that was ridiculous. I wanted to create a program that would allow people to come to these classes for free, because it should be an alternative therapy that should be free.
Rachel: So there is no cost to patients in a hospital or cancer centers?
Michelle: For patients, no. We, however, the burden of hospitals for this program because we provide products and we also provide highly qualified instructors
Rachel :. According to instructor training, is there specific qualifications or training they have to undergo to be certified for your program
Michelle: This is a very good question. So, most instructors are certified 0 hours that you can get in most yoga studios. And on top of that, they would have to do additional training that certifies they specifically work with cancer patients.
Rachel: How do the instructors placed or matched in different centers
Michelle: One of our advisors YogaBear, name Tari Prinster is, it is in fact the main instructor for the training class survivor of cancer. So, I go straight to the source of women is training all the instructors and after graduation, she refers to me that we invest in this way
Rachel :. Now for hospitals that might be interested in putting in the healing project, these are things that they would look into any program involving yoga or breathing to their patients
Michelle: must really take into account the population. This is very important because many hospitals in some areas will not even go there because they will think the people will want not. Hospitals should really look into all the different types of programs. They aerobic programs, they have cooking classes. You can have the yoga, you can have Reiki. There are so many different types. Hospitals should really try all different kinds and see what their specific population is in and then going to invest their money in this way.
Rachel: So for people who are interested in investing in Yoga field of treatment and therapy, these are some of the benefits of yoga and breathing for patients cancer themselves?
Michelle: There is such a huge list, so I'll try to make it more or less short. I am a nurse, so the health point of view, it can lower your blood pressure, slow heart rate, improve your blood circulation, improve your respiratory rate by lowering it, making your lungs work more efficiently. It improves your cardiovascular endurance. When you do yoga, you massage your organs. You increase your gastrointestinal motility. It's great for your immune system. Then outside, it contributes to aging. Yoga has been known to be a process of detoxification and improves strength and energy, reduces weight. There are so many different advantage of it. And obviously psychologically it improves your mood, decreases stress and anxiety and depression, and the benefits are endless.
Rachel: Michelle, I have to ask, I did yoga and it's a pretty big risk. What kind of changes are made to this type of restoration of yoga to make it therapeutic for cancer patients
Michelle: Most people assume that yoga for cancer patients is really sweet, and you sit in a chair and you lift your arm a little and you're not really move or break a sweat. This is actually incorrect. The way it is designed is to get these people on the ground and again down. She do all different types of positions you would in a normal yoga class. Of course, these instructors are aware of all the information on all these patients and what they are going through what treatments they have, if they have ports if they have scars. If they have limits, of course, we will obey those. But they try to move as much as possible. The instructors do not want them feeling like this is a special class for slow because they are sick. This is more of a class of empowerment, a safe way to get them to do as much as possible the movement to help them recover.
Rachel: So if they have physical limitations, they are still able to always be able to participate in another way
Michelle: Absolutely. yoga instructors provide other types of jobs they can do instead of maybe what the rest of the class is doing
Rachel :. Can you tell me the middle class and what happens during a normal class
Michelle: In most of our hospitals, we have about 15 to about 30 people. It depends on the day or in the hospital. When you come, there is a sense of the immediate community. People are together, they talk, they share stories. The instructor will come. It is not only a class where you just start practicing yoga. They discuss what is happening in their lives. They discuss cancer discuss all these other issues. They bring to the table. This is not a class where they escape. It is where they all come together to share stories from each other and grow together and practice yoga as their own little community.
Rachel :? What kind of feedback did you get from patients
Michelle: amazing stories We have heard. People said they got their return grove. They are able to stretch so that they were not able to stretch before. They were even able to start running, some people. Emotionally, many of them felt less anxious much less depressed. They have a better vision of life. They believe that yoga gives them something to do in a positive light despite all the other bad things that can be going on with the treatment. Physically, he is helped, psychologically and emotionally he is helped, it helped. So I think we're doing our job.
Rachel: Now, to all hospitals that wish to participate in this program, how would you recommend they go about it
Michelle: The best way for a hospital to get involved is to contact me. I'm on the website of the Yoga Bear, and there is a link to Yoga Healing Project and easy access. I am happy to give hospitals more information about our program.
Rachel: Thank you very much for your time. It was very informative for all patients there. We look forward to working with you in the future.
